Yesterday I had a really interesting conversation about how Black academics are perceived in academia. We are expected to always present ourselves as groomed or we can be mistaken for hospitality staff whom some already feel are "lesser". There is a classist and racial element /1

At a time, when we do not have access to barbers and cannot appear groomed, this is interesting. White colleagues, esp white men do not have this particular expectation. In the past, I've had snide looks and even had one senior scholar a couple years ago unwittingly tell me /2

In offering "advice", that I needed to "look presentable". It was bizarre as it was almost assumed that I didn't know how to dress for various occasions. This was in Boston. The scholar did not recognise the racial overtones that this statement had. Our natural looks are often /3

not seen as "presentable", scholarly or appropriate. At conferences or in academic institutions, white (male) academics, clearly do not have to impress everyone as much. They do not have to be as overly wary or careful about how they dress or appear to others in academia /4

Or be mistaken for anything but an academic. It has pissed me off some of the looks I've received when my hair is little over grown or I have facial hair. Sometimes I've decided to push the envelope and for weeks not go to the barber for this reason. Black people do not exist /5

for anyone's viewing pleasure. It runs very deep, that many of us are still not seen as academic, and are judged unfairly and continually about how we look. Black academics need to share more about these instances so that our white colleagues are aware. Respect is key to justice.